Making the Most of...MINT

This is the first article in a new series I plan to add to once a month or so. I'm always looking for new uses for foods and household items and finding ways I can do more with what I already have. I've grown mint in my garden for years, and I know I'm not "making the most of" it right now. If you have mint, you have a lot of it, so I'm going to kick off the series exploring the many uses for this very prolific herb!

1. Male fresh mint tea. This is my favourite use for fresh mint. We drink this almost daily in the summer months. Place several good sized sprigs of mint in your teapot and add boiling water to fill it. Let steep about 10 minutes before pouring. You can refrigerate any leftovers and serve over ice (garnished with additional fresh mint, if desired).

2. Boost the flavour of chilled drinks: Add fresh mint leaves to lemonade or other fruity cold drinks. If you want to get fancy, you can make minty ice cubes by placing a mint leave in each compartment of the ice cube tray then filling with water and freezing.

3. Enhance your summer salads: add chopped mint leaves to cucumber or fruit salads.

4. Make a refreshing dessert like mint ice cream or sorbet.

5. Preserve it: making mint jelly or peppermint marmalade is a great way to use a lot of mint, and will make a lovely hostess gift!

6. Take a refreshing soak: tie a few sprigs of mint together and add to your bath.

7. Soothe an itchy scalp by making a mint hair rinse.

8. Use as an air freshener: make bouquets of mint in vases or mason jars and place throughout the house.

9. Keep bugs away: mint is said to repel ants, flies and mosquitoes. You can even make your own natural insect repellent spray using mint!

10. Soothe stomach aches and headaches: try chewing on a fresh mint leaf or sipping some mint tea to get relief.

Do you have a use for fresh mint that I haven't mentioned? Please share in the comments!